Foreign Policy

Washington's overall goal was to keep the United States neutral to conflict , especially the French Revolution while it was still in its early stagesOne of his first acts as president was to negotiate a treaty with the Creek Nation, the Treaty of New York, where the indians ceded a large portion of their hunting grounds over to AmericaWhen the French Revolution first started in July of 1789, Washington made sure that the United States remained neutral, despit the fact that many americans wanted to aid FranceIn 1791, Washington agreed to to give weapons and supplies to the french colony of Haiti, in order to quell the slave rebellion occuring thereAfter France's revolution was over, it declared war on many European nations, but Washington still refused to get involved, in order to maintain peace with BritainOn April 22, 1793, Washington issued the "Proclamation of Neutrality" which officially declared neutrality in the conflict between Britain and FranceIn 1793, Britain declared that it would seize any ships trading with France, including American ships. Tensions grew high, and some members of congress called for a trade war against Britain. Washington responded by setting up the Jay Treaty in 1794, which set up peaceful trade with Britain, persuaded Britain to finally withdraw from their forts in the Northwest Territory, and ultimately avert warIn March of 1794, Washington signed the Naval Act, which officialy established the United States Navy, in response to frequent pirate attacks around North Africa. However, the new navy was not needed in this situation, as Washington signed a treaty with the leader of present day Libya, the Treaty of Tripoli in 1796, which guaranteed the protection of American Ships in the Mediteranean regionPickney's Treaty of 1795, established friendship between America and Spain, and also ended the first Florida contraversy, by establishing Florida's border